You Love Her More
by ohPotter
Summary: Harper helps Harry to understand his feelings after realizing them herself.


I walked out of the Great Hall holding the hand of a stranger. Well, at least that's how it felt as Harry and I walked back together to the Gryffindor common room after dinner. During dinner I had watched him talk to Ron about Quidditch practice, listened to him argue with Hermione about his Potion's book, and most importantly and devastating of all, caught him glaring at Dean Thomas as he held the hand of his girlfriend, Ginny Weasley.

When we arrived at the portrait leading into the common room, he released my hand as he said the password. The portrait opened for us and we walked through into the common room in silence. I placed my ruck sack of books on the floor and sat down in front of the fireplace. Harry took the seat behind me on the couch and I leaned in between his legs. After a few moments of continued silence, I looked up at him and noticed him looking into the fire. He looked down at me and gave me a small smile.

"Something's bothering, isn't it?" I asked him_. _He immediately shook his head no, but I gave him a look of disbelief. "Maybe a little, nothing to serious," he finally told me. "Just something Dumbledore wants me to do."

I nodded. Whatever was on his mind, and I was sure that wasn't it, he was tormented about it. I examined his face more closely and I could see the worry written all over his face. I turned around again and stared back into the fire as I thought about the conversation I had with Hermione earlier.

"_Hermione, could I ask you something?" _I had asked as I helped Hermione find one of the books she needed for our Defense paper.

"_Yeah sure,"_ she said, obviously a bit preoccupied scanning through the book shelves.

"_Have you noticed anything different... about Harry?"_

"_What do you mean?"_ she asked looking at me. I couldn't help but think that she already knew that answer to that question.

"_He seems to be a bit distracted lately," _I had explained. "_We spend together, and I know he has a lot on his mind with Quidditch, lessons with Dumbledore and everything. But I just can't help but to think that he's slipping away... from me."_

"_Of course not Harper, Harry cares about you," _she assured me, but that wasn't what I was concerned about. I was more than sure that Harry cared about me. We had been friends after all and he wouldn't be trying to spare my feelings if he didn't.

"_I know he cares about me," _I stated. _"But I want to know if he loves her."_

_She paused for a moment but then continued to search through the bookshelves. "Who?"_

"_Hermione please," _I begged. _"You've known him longer than I have, surely you don't need me to tell you who."_

_She looked down at the book she had in her hands fully aware of who I was referring to. She turned to face and gave me this saddened look that told me what I wanted to know and more. The looks, his being over protective... he wasn't behaving this way purely because she was Ron Weasley's little sister. He was behaving this way because whether he knew it or failed to acknowledge it, he was in love with Ginny Weasley. _

"_Thanks Hermione," _I said quickly wiping the tear that had managed to fall. "_That's all I needed to know."_

I wiped the tear that had fallen from the corner of my eye, cursing myself for allowing myself to feel this way. It was only natural for Harry to feel this way about Ginny. They had so much in common. I admired how tough she was which could only be the result of living in a house with six brothers. She independent, not like most girls at school who frequently chased after boys. She loved Quidditch and a frequently heard them talking about it. She was a talented witch and worst of all, she was beautiful.

"You okay? You're pretty quiet," Harry asked knocking me out of my thoughts.

I turned around to look at him and gave him a small smile assuring him that I was okay even though I wasn't sure if I was. I was sure that it was more for my benefit than it was for him. Maybe if I just told myself that I was, I would be.

I got up off of the floor and sat next to him on the couch, again taking his hand in mine.

"I know, Harry," I said solemnly, but with a straight face. "I know how you feel about Ginny."

He looked away from me when I said it and turned to look at the fire as I had done earlier.

"I'm not sure what you're talking about."

I placed my hand softly on his chin and gently tuned his face towards me. I looked him in the eye and could see the flick of the flame in the reflection of his glasses. I gazed into his deep emerald eyes no longer seeing the love for me that he once felt, but hiding the love he now felt for another.

"I don't want you to try to hide it anymore, I know you've been trying to spare my feelings, and I appreciate it, but I think you would be sparing them more if you just told me the truth," I said softly. "Tell me."

"Harper..."

"At least tell me if I'm right," I said interrupting him. "I am, aren't I?"

It took him a few moments to respond, but then he slowly nodded his head.

"I wasn't trying to hurt you Harper, I promise," he assured me. "I wasn't even sure of how I felt. I thought something was different, but I just thought it was me feeling protective of her... or at least that was what I was telling myself..."

"I know, Harry," I nodded. I got up from the couch and grabbed my ruck sack from the floor and began to make my way towards the girls' dormitory. Just as I began to walk up the stairs, Harry caught my attention.

"I love you Harper, I do. It's just, I guess I just..."

"Love her more," I finished, for both of us.


End file.
